Wrench



May i3 f 1924. Y

ISL POTSCHNER WRENCH Filed Feb. vl. 1923 ldatented May i3, T9241@ 'KARL POTSGHNER, 0F DOVER, OHIO.

VRENCH.

Application filed Februar?, 1, 1923.

Statevo Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Wrenches, of u-*hich the following is a specification.

This invention krelates to Wrenches and more particularly to a type of Wrench in` oluding a frame having an integral handle4 and jaw, a movable jaw slidably mounted in the 'frame and a lever pivotally mounted in the 'frame and provided With means for releasably engaging the slidable jaw in various adjustments, and is a continuation of my copending application. Serial No. 606,- 840, filed December 14, 1922.

The objects of the invention are to provide a Wrench of this type in which the lever is pivcted upon a fixed or solid pivot in 'the trame, instead of the usual movable or shiftable pivot, commonly used in wrenches oit this general type; to provide means for releasing the engagement or" the lever with the movable jaw, Without shifting the point of pivotal connection between the handles; to provide means for easily and readily disengaging the movable jaw from the lever and reengaging the same in a different adjustment; to provide means for limiting the extreme positions of the movable jaw to relieve the strain upon the engaging parts and to permit the lever' and handle to operate Within a convenient radius; and to provide a transverse opening entirely through the frame, one Wall of `which acts as a stop to limit the opening movement of the lever, the opening also making visible the Working parts ot' the Wrench to facilitate the adjusting of the movable jaw; and to generally improve and simplify the construction of wrenches of this general character.

The above and other tained by constructing manner illus rated in drawings, in Whichliigure 1 is a side elevation of a Wrench embodying the invention, parts being broken away for the purpose. ot illustration;

Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the lever in the disengaged position;

Fig. 3, an edge elevation of the wrench; and

objects may be atthe Wrench in the the accompanying Serial No. 616,327.

Fig. 4l, a detached perspective view ofy the movable jaw.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.

rlhe frame 1 of the Wrench is provided with the rigid jaw 2 and handle 3 Which are preferably "formed integrally with the iframe. through the frame from one side of the same to the other anda keyhole slot `5 is breached out of the upper side oit said passagey and through the upper end ot the frame.

A movable jaw G is constructed to slide hack and forth in the frame toward and from the fixed jaw, and is provided on its lower side with the shank 7 having the round cross sectional portion 8 for engagement With the passage l and the tlat portion 9 for engagementy With the keyhole slot 5..

The under side of the round section 7 of the shank is cut away betvveen points near opposite extremities of the shank ina plane A passage e is formedr entirely.y

substantially parallel With the track of thev shank, spaced notches 1() being provided at intervals in said cut-away plane.

A slot 11 is cut through one side of the trame at approximately right angles to and terminating in the round passage l which forms a part of the track for the movable jaw. This slot terminates at its inner edge in the vertical Wall 12, located adjacent to the opposite side or the trame, and is open through the diagonal rear edge la of the trame.

A lever 13 is provided With the flattened upper end portion 14e, which is received Within the slot portion ot the frame and pivotally connected thereto by means of the pivot pin 15. A stop lug 16 is formed upon the inner edge of the lever for engagement with the inner Wall 12 lotn the slot to limit the closing movement of the lever and prevent pinching of the hand of the operator between the lever `and handle.

The upper end of the lever is provided with the projection l? arranged to selee tively engage each of' the notches 10 in the shank portion of the movable jaw ("3, A stop ylug 18 is formed near and at the inner side of the projection 17 to limit the opening movement of the lever.

A recess is 'formed back ot and connecting with the slot or spline in the frame by drillfs ing or otherwise cutting a transverse hole 19 through the slotted portion of the frame, the center of this hole being preferably in a continuation of the plane of the inner wall 12 of the slot.

This recess permits the upper end of the lever to move into the position shown in Fig. 2, allowing the projection 1'4" thereon to just clear the cut-away, notched plane of the shank of the movable jaw, when the Stop lug 18 upon the lever enga the edge of the recess 19 as shown in said ligure.

This opening 19 not only provides for a greater movement of the lever, but also makes visible the internal mechanism of the Jtool at all times, greatly facilitating the adjusting of the movable jaw and lever to different positions; and simplifies the method of manufacture by providing an unusually cheap manner of increasing the depth of the spline.

In the position shown in Fig. 2 with the stop lug 18 upon the lever in engagement with the rear wall of the recess 19, the movable ja-w is disengaged from the lever and may travel freely in either direction, within the limitations of the cut-away, notched plane, the eXtreme portions of the shank of the movable jaw Ilimiting the movement in either direction by engagement with the projection 17 upon the lever.

As the lever is moved toward the handle, the projection 1T thereon will enter the notch immediately before it and positively engage the movable jaw for operation in `this position. It should. be noted that once the movable jaw is engaged by the lever, it vis a physical impossibility for the same to become disengaged until the lever is again moved to its eXtreme open position, shown in F ig. 2.

From the above, it will be obvious that this construction has eliminated the dependence upon springs, dogs or other additional parts for holding the members in adjusted position, making it a physical impossibility for the movable jaw to disengage itself from the lever, excepting at the will of the ope 'ator.

vIt has furthermore provided a simple and effective means for keeping the movable aw within its radius of usefulness, the extreme `limit of the movable jaw in one direction bringing the same into engagement with the stationary jaw as in the ordinary pliers, and the other extreme limitation of the movable jaw marks the maximum spread of the jaws as a wrench.

The primary object in producing this tool, namely, to reduce all of the useful features of this class of wrenches to the utmost simplicity of construction, has been accomplished. It will be noted that the entire tool consists of threemajor partsV and a pivot pin and all the functions of the tool,

including the assembling or faculty of 1nolding the same together, are found in these pieces.

The wrench is thus reduced -to the absolute minimum of simplicity and number of parts, and each piece in addition to performing its function in the operation of the tool, also provides means for keeping itself in position. Besides having a major function, each piece in addition is designed in such a manner that it takes the minimum of labor and material to produce the same.

The walls between the notches in the movable jaw are lighter, or have less material in them, than the projections 1T, upon the lever,

which engages said notches. This difference of strength is for a two fold reason. The projection on the lever will have to compensate for the sum total of all wear upon the walls between all of the notches.

From a standpoint of strength, the projection is a continuation of the eXtreme end of the lever, making it obviously necessary that the same be heavier in order to equal the Strength of the walls between the notches, which are formed by cutting away transverse portions of the continuous shank.

The metal of the lever adjacent to the projection 1T is outlined by a radius, as shown at 20, having the pivot 15 as a center, said radius engaging the extreme inner end of the shank and supporting the same when the jaw is in the extreme open position, as shown in Fig. 2. i

ln the normal spread and close of the operators hand, the movable jaw will move to and from the stationary jaw far enough to permit the wrench to ratchet hack and forth across the corner of a nut and reengage the same for another pull.

lt will thus be seen that a simple and highly e'lhcient tool may be manufactured at a price which the public can afford to pay for a wrench, this being made possible by the simplicity of construction, and the manner of constructing the three major parts of the wrench.

lt may be desirable to provide a bushing around the pivot pin 15 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. in. order to cause the lever to oscillate easily upon the pivot, and also to compensate for wear upon the pivot or the journal portion of the lever.

l claim 1. A wrench of the character described, comprising a one-piece frame having a jaw integrally formed at one end and a handle integrally formed at the other end thereof, said frame having an opening therethrough in which are mounted av movable jaw and a lever cooperating with each other in the sam@ plane` a transverse hole in the frame. at substantially right angles to 4the opening and communicating therewith. said transverse hole furnishing means to limit the 3. In e Wrench of the character described 10 in claim l, a stop on the under side of the lever for limiting the closing movement of the lever relative to the handle, for preventing pinching of the finfers.

In testimony that have hereunto subscribed my name.

KARL POTSCHNER.

Ibclaim the above, I 15 

